Good Combination
by walaakongkwenta
Summary: Echizen regularly receives diet suggestions from Inui. Don't you think it is only fair to get a glimpse of what the other regulars receive? Diet plans for the Seigaku Regulars plus a certain twist.
1. prologue

**A/N : My student introduced me what she calls GM diet and I am thinking of following it whether it's difficult or not. I just have to. I simply cannot stand seeing that Takumi Saito **_**seems**_** to have a slimmer waist than I have. Thus, the idea.**

**Hai, minna, I am playing Kami-sama again. Hehe. ****Aren't you as curious as I am as to what the diets of the other members are? It's not fair that only Echizen gets two-bottles-of-milk –recommendation, don't you think?**

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing, not even Saito Takumi which is a pity. Don't sue me.**

**GOOD COMBINATION**

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"Inui, a-are you sure that this is your new battle plan?" Oishi asked Inui as the latter was distributing copies of his new "diet." Seigaku's mother hen had already scanned his the moment that the piece of paper was given to him. He was one of the few Seigaku members who seriously treated Inui Sadaharu's nutrition intake recommendation.

"Hai. These plans are _specially_ designed to _specifically_ address the needs of the regulars."

Seishin Gakuen Junior High School Tennis Club perused their copies out of curiosity. Inui handing out dietary plans was not new. It had been a tradition just like the monthly intra-school ranking matches and Penal Tea. It was also not new that the data man specified little or drastic changes in their food. Normally, they would shrug it off or pressure another team member particularly Echizen to follow the guidelines. It was to be taken note, however, that the ever loyal Kaido Kaoru all heartedly followed his sempai's recommendations.

What made the regulars curious about the plans was the fact that the mother hen, who had often supported Inui's whims in training, was worried. They then thought that there was something evil lurking in their own plans.

And there were.

"Hoi? Are? Inui! You're going to kill me!"

"This is unfair, unfair!"

"Che…"

"Fshhhhh…"

"Saa…Inui did you carefully think about the consequences of these plans?" Fuji asked and when he asked the members realized how graver the diet was for the tensai. He was one of those who had only shoved their first diet schedule in the deepest recesses of their bags and memories.

When he asked, it meant it bothered him. And a bothered tensai was never good.

"I have given a portion of data on it. Demo, according to all of your data," Inui addressed the team, clearly evading the piercing blue eyes of Fuji Syuusuke, "there is an 87 % possibility you would not pay attention to the plan."

Now, Seigaku tennis club was not only good in tennis. They were also an excellent choral group. "Nani?"

"This is so unfair, nya!"

"Inui- sempai, majiska?"

"I can't believe Inui wants us to die!"

"There is a forty percent chance that you would react like this so I have prepared an answer."

That settled the regulars for a while. At least, their façade did. Inside, however, they were volcanoes waiting to give their judgment upon human kind that was Inui Sadaharu.

"To reinforce the diet for all of you I have written the plans considering your partners plans as well."

"Partners?"

"By any chance, Inui, are you talking about Doubles?" Oishi asked, a little hope going back to him.

"I have also considered that. Demo, if I would base my data solely on Doubles, then you and Kikimaru may probably have the highest score."

"Nya, how unfortunate."

"Daijobou," continued the Data Man. "Your partners are not entirely a stranger to you. They are even close to you in a certain degree. Also, your partners will serve as my eyes and check whether you are following your plans or not."

"Tezuka, did you approve all these?" Fuji threw his counter to the person who seemed to control everything. The other regular members hung unto his response. However, the stoic captain seemed to be attracted to the ground.

"Inui, announce the pairs."

"Hai.

"First pair: Kawamura-Momoshiro." At the mention of their names, Momoshiro grinned at his sempai and the latter smiled back.

"Second pair: Eiji- Fuji."

Muttering "Lucky," Kikumaru put an arm around the smiling Fuji."

"Third pair: Kaido and I."

Kaido let out his trademark "Fssshhh," seemingly satisfied with the pairing. Most of them actually were satisfied. Power Pair, Dream Pair, and the Emerald Pair—not that they knew the names branded to them—they were paired for the next doubles matches...or so they thought.

Seigaku's mother hen had other thoughts though. "There are still three people left, including myself. Don't tell me one will be left out!"

Tezuka Kunimitsu and Echizen Ryoma still had other concerns, very far from the mother hen's. They were anxious as to who's who since there was a great possibility that they would end up checking on each other. That would mean the end of the world.

"No one will be left out. The three of you will have to guard each other's habits."

Eiji snorted. Fuji chuckled. Kawamura and Momoshiro grinned sheepishly. Kaido tried his best to suppress his smile, and ended up blushing. It was an unusual combination.

"Saa, Tezuka, yudan sezou ni Ikou," chided Fuji.

"Oishi, take care of them, bui," Eiji encouraged the other half of Golden Pair.

"Echizen, mada mada!" Momoshiro jeered.

"These pairings seem to be quite weird," Echizen said in an undertone, carefully hiding his face from his senpai-tachi.

"Do you have any problems with it?" Kaido hissed to him. Momoshiro stood on guard.

"When are you going to stop picking on your kohai?" he said through gritted teeth.

"Nani, want a fight?"

As usual the other Seigaku members gave a blind eye to this usual and also traditional bickering.

"I agree with Echizen, this combination is really unusual Inui," Oishi said, trying not to imagine how he was supposed to squeeze himself between the two pillars of Seigaku. He already had a mental picture of a hen strutting between two stone columns.

"Not really. If you will check your partner's diet plan, you will see that your copies have similarities."

"Nyahoi? Hai hai! There are! Look at this Fujiko-chan!"

Momoshiro and Kaido stopped bruising each other and in conspiracy, peered at Eiji's and Fuji's papers. The red head protectively shielded his, and the tensai opened his eyes to intimidate the two. The sophomores backed off. They knew better than to mess with their sempai-tachi.

Inui chuckled. "I quite understand Kikumaru and Fuji's reactions. If you two will peruse yours, you'll feel the same way too. "

And once again, the regulars thoroughly read their dietary plans. In them were highlighted parts that have the same hue as their partners.

Those parts were not what anyone, not even you, could just share to everyone.

The regulars regretted having ignored the Data Man's previous attempts of Dietary plans. It was clear that Inui did his job well. "You can cheat from time to time any part of your diet, but not the highlighted parts which should be checked by your partners.

"I only have enough eyes to see what you've been showing. With your partners help, I'll be able to check all of you."

"Fssshhhh…" Kaido sputtered. Unlike earlier, somehow, he felt uncomfortable being paired with the senpai he was usually comfortable with. The idea that Inui would be really checking on him—considering that he had been checking on him as it was—made him feel, well, naked…

"Che. You've been turning us against one another, Inui-senpai," Echizen muttered as he opened a can of Ponta. In a flash, Tezuka's hand swept the can from Echizen.

"Saa, Echizen, yudan sezou ni ikou."

"Nyarou," Echizen mouthed but did not dare speak. He was clever enough not to anger his buchou amidst their hellish diet week.

Oishi just grinned, thinking of how in the world Inui got the idea of grouping him with the first two.

"Ne, Eiji this is going to be interesting," Fuji, his blue eyes cold and glinting, chuckled. Kikumaru Eiji who shared his thoughts exuded an air of concentration common of him in a Doubles match.

"Hoi hoi. We're going to beat the others, nya…"

"Taka-san," Momoshiro said as he shoved a racket to Kawamura's hand.

"I am not confident about it…" Kawamura said. That was what he said before accepting the racket. What he said after was a different story. "Moeruze! Great-o! Let's do it, baby! Everyone, come on! Whoever breaks the diet will have to answer to me!"

That was how their one week diet began…and no one had any idea how it would end.

_**TBC**_

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**More AN****: I am posting yet another prologue. I just hope this time I would be able to finish it. This will probably have 4 chapters more, depending on how the audience receives it. **

**Bui is how Eiji says V.**

**Takumi Saito has played Oshitari Yuushi in Tenimyu.**

**According to Mr. Wiki, senpai and sempai are both correct. I have used both to avoid biases...hehe**


	2. MomoTakasan

**A/N: I thought of posting early since prolonging the sequel might earn me a quarter of pound laziness. It has been proven already, actually.**

_Italics—diet_

_**Bold + italics – parts where they need their partners' help**_

**DISCLAIMER: see chapter one for heaven's sake.**

**POOR POWER PLAYERS**

Momoshiro Takeshi looked into his diet plan for the nth time that morning. "This whole thing is not gonna work…not gonna work."

The day before, his sempai, Kawamura Takashi of Seishin Gakuen Tennis Club, also the son of the owner of the famous Kawamura Sushi, inspected his diet. To their surprise, they saw things that would have made even the stoic captain of their tennis club smirk.

Momoshiro Takeshi's Diet:

_Run 20 laps around the court before Tezuka buchou says so—to earn you good points from the buchou._

_Drink more water by 51 %-other recommendations would include vegetable juice._

_Lessen eating meat by 75 %-__your body needs protein but not too much. Hamburger is considered under meat. Eat it only once a week._

_**Eat fish frequently—instead of ordering sushi, order sashimi.**_

_**Lessen r**__**ice by 2.54312 %-rice makes you sleepy in class. The tennis club does not need drop outs or we would be like Yamabuki. Recommendations: see number 4.**_

_**Lessen saying the same thing twice in one sentence by 30 percent—reason, it is not charming.**_

_**Reduce saying "Don" after any type of smash by 17.32 percent—your opponents will then take your game seriously.**_

_Listen to Tachibana An's suggestions more often—no comment until further development._

_Maintain being sweet to your kohai—they actually respect you more than what you think._

_**Keep Echizen Ryoma from drinking his Ponta by 10 percent.**_

To Momo, the paper had seemed entirely a joke. How was he supposed to measure everything? Kawamura had convinced him the other day though: _BURNING! If the four-eyed-not-so-cool Inui could do it, why not you hunky baby?_

That really did the trick.

Aside from the measurements, everything was pretty easy. He had to admit though that he needed help in checking his expressions. They were so natural to him as how natural it was for Mamushi to say _FFssshhhh_, Taka-san _BURNING!_, Eiji-senpai _Nya Hoi!_, Fuji-senpai _Saa…so da ne_, Inui-senpai _Ii Data_, Tezuka-buchou _Yudan Sezou ni Ikou_, and Echizen _Mada Mada Dane_.

Another thing, how was he supposed to ask Tachibana An's suggestions? Were they supposed to meet every day? Not that he had anything against it…Iie, what was he thinking anyway? He had everything against it! Besides, An was probably busy with her studies, although she really looked more kawaii the last time he saw her…

Momoshiro shook his head to erase the thoughts in his mind. He gulped his cereals heartily and sped off…his face coated with unmistakable blush.

In Kawamura Sushi, Kawamura-san looked from the diet plan on his hand to his son back to the diet plan. Iie. Takashi would not go as far as making this ridiculous diet plan just to save himself from his responsibilities in their restaurant.

He read the plan for one last time:

Kawamura Takashi's Diet:

_Run 20 laps around the court before Tezuka buchou says so—to earn you good points from the buchou._

_**Eat**__** more meat, 33.9%-you need more protein from meat to increase the power of your Hadokyou by 40.1 %**_

_Reduce intake of fish my 16%-it will also help if you will not TOUCH fish._

_Put more wasabi in what you eat, 3.2 %-it will help you fire up. For this your need special help from Fuji Syuusuke._

_Maintain good friendship with Akutsu Jin—pick up his habits for more techniques in playing tennis._

_**Practice having the burning mode ten minutes before and after holding the racket—it will pose more threat to your opponents.**_

_**Lessen saying "MOERUZE!" while burning by 28.192 %-it doesn't help…just from my observation.**_

_Improve English speaking skills by 61% without the Burning mode—it won't sound awkward then when you play._

_**Remember bringing your racket,100%-Kawamura, it's a must.**_

_**Don't let Ryoma Echizen touch his Ponta by 10 %.**_

Anywhere Kawamura-san looked, it still sounded ridiculous to him and he was neither the first nor the last to think so. Not having his son to help him in their business would be tough for sure. However it would only be for a week and Takashi himself said that he would concentrate on their business after all these tennis games.

The older Kawamura sighed. He nodded genially, earning himself a most prized humble smile from his son. _He's just a middle school student after all_.

"I have done something about not touching fish."

"Taka-san, I know it's a sacrifice."

It was Tuesday, 5:10 in the afternoon, after Seigaku's tennis practice. They were in the park where they decided to meet to lay their plans of action for the diet. It was too dangerous talking about it in the school premises since the other pairs might be spying. Kaido Kaoru's FFFSssshhhhh seemed louder that day. Oishi seemed more troubled, Kikumaru, more active. Fuji had greeted them more cheerfully with his eyes wide open. Tezuka buchou did not even greet them. And Echizen? Momo and Taka-san had snatched the first year's Ponta.

The creepiest person was Inui Sadaharu who seemed to pop from unexpected places.

Both power players sighed.

"Some are easy to do, some are really difficult, really difficult."

Momo immediately clapped his hands over his mouth. His sempai gave him an understanding look.

"That is why we are helping each other."

"I guess, there's nothing to do but _that_."

"For now, Momo, that's the best option that we have."

Twenty-five hours, thirteen minutes and zero point eighteen seconds later, according to Inui's notebook, the team found Momoshiro, with an apron, serving tea to a hot tempered grey haired costumer named Akutsu Jin in Kawamura sushi (they heard that Momo actually could get free meals for helping Kawamura-san). Tachibana An was at a corner doing her homework, and Taka-san was eating his fourth spicy hamburger.

Two cans of Ponta, confiscated from a certain capped Seigaku Ochibi, laid on the counter.

**More A/N: Yehey. I have updated earlier than I ****have expected. *stretches her body* Demo, minna, I can't promise to update everyday. Sometimes ideas come running in my head and I just can't catch them. As always, reviews are appreciated. Flames will definitely get a burning Hadokyou from Taka-san. Ja ne.**

**T****o Moonhera- the second cast is my favorite. Hehe…Wah I think we have to seriously talk about Kimeru, but I can't say anything about Nagayama.**

**To demoncat13, sankyuu.**


	3. FujiEiji

**A/N: I know most of you are thinking that this turned to be a training program instead of a nutrition regimen. I don't mind. (wink wink). I am thinking from a middle schooler's perspective here. Hehe**

**Disclaimer: refer to chapter 1.**

**DREAMY PAIR**

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"No matter where I look, Fujiko, it seems that Inui hates you," Eiji remarked as he returned the diet plan of Fuji Syuusuke. They were in the first's room, enjoying cold lemonades.

"So dane."

"Or maybe he is just trying to get a reaction from you."

"Saa…Eiji. I think he has Tezuka for that."

"Hmm. Then maybe he's trying to figure out if you'll still be a tensai after all these…"

Fuji considered that thought too. Kikumaru Eiji could really be contemplative at times. However, there was one more thing that our dear tensai was after when he looked so serious after Eiji's remark. He _counted_ and the acrobatic was painfully aware of it.

One, two, three, four, five, six…

"NYA!" Eiji finally blurted out, his face that of a drowned person who had just breathed fresh air. Fuji smiled. Good thing that they were in the confinement of Eiji's room or they would have been caught and punished by their teacher just like what had happened earlier in one of their subjects. They had been given additional homework.

"It seems Inui hates you, too," Fuji tapped Eiji's diet that he had been perusing while they were doing their homework. Eiji sat beside the tensai on the floor and read his own diet, hardly trying to understand everything.

"I don't get this!" Eiji sighed and lied down.

Fuji smiled and took one of his notebooks, flipping it to his desired page. There were two columns on that page. One was entitled NYA, the other, HOI. Each column had been vertically numbered from one to ten and across them were some bars. Those were indicators of how long Eiji could keep himself from saying NYA or Hoi. Fuji had considered just counting the number of times Eiji would sound like a cat but he thought it was less challenging. Besides, Eiji could say NYAHOI far too many times than what the tensai could count.

Fuji drew a bar beside 6. "This is the longest you have gone so far."

"That's cruel, Fuji," Eiji eyed the notebook with loathing. "Demo, I am getting bored of this. And we still haven't figured out how to address…" he got up and pointed at Fuji's diet, "…this."

The tensai looked at the item his friend was pointing at: number 3 _**Drink 1 box of 250 ml of Milk per meal – you are taller than Echizen but you are not any taller than Momoshiro nor Kaido, our sophomores.**_

"Ah…I did not know that Inui could sink this low," he muttered which did not escape the red-head. When he felt that Eiji stared at him, he snapped his eyes close and smiled. "Gomen, Eiji! I know that's a cruel thing to say."

"Iie, betsuni. You know, Fujiko, I agree with Inui. You should open your eyes more often. Didn't I keep telling you that?"

Strong indigo eyes met crystal blue orbs for quite some time. As sudden as it started, both looked away, trying to hide from the other the blush creeping on their faces.

"That was awkward, nya," Eiji muttered, pouting at his bear.

"So da ne," Fuji talked to the wall.

The next day, according to the ever reliable statistics of Inui Sadaharu, 25% of the girls' population registered in the Seigaku female tennis club to the surprise of one Ryuzaki-sensei. Meanwhile 63% put up a raucous fans' club that could rival that of Atobe Keigo's Hyotei fans club. Still, 12 % merely fainted.

Just when about the boys were asking each other what was causing the "problem," two 'new' members of the tennis club arrived.

Fuji Syuusuke walked over to the basket full of tennis balls. There was nothing new to it. Only that the tensai was brusquely marching and his elusive eyes were open for everyone to see. The other member also noted that he was not smiling.

Kikumaru Eiji on the other hand did not bounce as usual. He swaggered. Instead of greeting his team mates with his usual "Nanjaro hoi hoi!" he only passed by with a nod. He even just saluted to the buchou who did not raise a finger on the matter.

What was even crazier was that Fuji and Eiji seemed to be closer. They were even more affectionate to one another- too affectionate for the taste of the regulars. They would talk to each other in whispers, leaning their bodies closer, and putting their faces together, only 2.53 centimeters apart. When they saw the others looking, they would often laugh mysteriously. They would always share bentos during lunch and sushi in the afternoon. Eiji was even caught drinking from Fuji's water container. Goodness knows what it contained. Fuji on the other hand just enjoyed refreshing himself with a can of Ponta beside one capped ochibi who was cursing his tennis racket. At times, they would even share one ice cream.

Whispers that the two were going out, spread like wild fire. There were even rumors that Kikumaru usually walked Fuji to and from the latter's house. The female species in Seishin Gakuen found this manly Fuji and the mysterious Eiji attractive. the

Inui got his notebook and scribbled in horsepower.

…..

* * *

It was Thursday, 5 in the morning and Fuji was waiting by his residence's garage. He heard a noise and strained his eyes. A perspiring Eiji came to view, jogging and juggling two conspicuous bottles of milk. The acrobat tossed a bottle to the tensai who caught it effortlessly. Both uncorked the bottle, said cheers and drank.

"Saa, Eiji…how long should we keep this up?"

"Hm? After we have done something about your height, nya."

"I am touched…after we have done something about your stamina then."

"So what should we do next…"

Both of them took out copies of their diet plans and exchanged. By this time, their copies were crumpled and some notes were even added to the side:

**Fuji Syuusuke's Diet:**

_1. Lessen wasabi by 87.99 % - and please don't ask the other regulars, aside from Kikumaru to have some too. _

_2. Eat more sweets, 30.14 % - to help you become more active._

_**3. Drink 1 box of 250 ml of Milk per meal – you are taller than Echizen but you are not any taller than Momoshiro nor Kaido, our sophomores. **_(Eiji 8)

_4. Tone your muscles in the gym after tennis practices – lift weights of at least 30 kilograms per arm._

_**5. Increase frequency of being involved in rougher games – examples are boxing, kendo, soccer, and basketball.**_

_**6. Pick another hobby – than collecting cacti, discreetly taking pictures, etc.**_

_**7. Lessen standing behind the shadows of Tezuka Kunimitsu 94.5 %– I am torn between getting no data…or tons of it. **_(Eiji 5)

_**8. Open your eyes more often, 96.32 % - the regulars are concerned. Besides, it degrades the non-regulars that you can even play with your eyes closed. **_(Eiji 6)

_9. Run 20 laps before Tezuka buchou says so – it will catch him off-guard._

_**10. Don't let Ryoma lay a finger on a Ponta Can by 10%**_

**Kikumaru Eiji's Diet Plan:**

_1. Eat chocolates only before matches—it would also help if you DON'T listen to Chocolates in our practices._

_2. Minimize intake of lobsters by 7 % - you will get allergy._

_**3. Minimize ice cream 88%- sugar that you intake from ice cream makes you hyperactive even when there is no match. It's 60% more destructive than productive. **_

_4. Drink vegetable juice once a week.- you need fiber_

_**5. Minimize brushing teeth by 10 %- you disrupt our training schedule by 10 % because of brushing your teeth**_(Fuji 7)

_**6. Refrain from saying NYAHOI by 39.99%- nobody gets it why you often say that. **_(Fuji 8)

_**7. Practice naming your attacks with sensible NAMES – aside from yours.**_

_**8. Improve stamina by 14.222% - always run to school if possible **_(Fuji 3)

_9. Run 20 laps even before Tezuka buchou says so—it will catch him off guard._

_**10. Distract Echizen from drinking Ponta—glomping him is 100 % recommended.**_

The tensai and the acrobat said cheers again. Seishin Gakuen Tennis Cub would have another performance to look forward to.

….

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**More AN: If you are asking why I wrote it this way…well, Fuji and Eiji are the only ones who can pull this off. I am confirming your thoughts: I am for the Dream Pair. Hehe. I know I will get various reactions but I will welcome them all. I can always use Kikumaru Beam or Triple Counters for the flamers anyway.**

**Thank you my dear reviewers for sticking with the story despite the problems.**

**Ja Ne.**


	4. Kaido Inui

**A/N: I have to admit that I ****have encountered certain difficulties in writing something for this pair. **

**DISCLAIMER: op. cit. ***

**ECSTATIC EMERALD PAIR**

Inui, as was his character, opened his famous green notebook, leafed through some pages and reviewed his treasure: data of the Seigaku regulars.

_Momoshiro and Kawamura seem to do well with their plan. Probability of success is 89%._

_Fuji and Kikumaru are 94% successful with their. The remaining percentage is an allowance for the probability that they are plotting against me. _

_Tezuka, Oishi and Echizen seem to be working hard, though. The progress is 33.33% slower than Fuji-Kikumaru pair and 12.1 % slower than Momoshiro-Kawamura pair. It is still not bad considering than Echizen is irritated 59 % of the time now._

_Ii data…_

Kaido hissed. There was nothing new to this like his senpai's data gathering. What he was pissed off was the fact that Momoshiro Takashi seemed to have found a way through his "hellish" diet while he, Kaido Kaoru, self- considered as better-than-Momoshiro-in-any-way was nowhere near accomplishing anything in his list. The viper let out another hiss.

"What is it Kaido?" Inui inquired as he closed his notebook. Out of all the regulars, he would probably be the best person to know Kaido Kaoru's mood based on the number, the tone, and the tempo of hisses that the kohai made. How he figured out, nobody knew, just like how he concocted his juices. But you have to give it up to him. He IS Inui Sadaharu—he HAS his ways. He probably had snake charming lessons just for his _Ii Data_.

"What about us senpai?"

"What 'us' Kaido? I'm contented with our status as it is."

There was nothing wrong with the word 'status' and Kaido was far from having a Facebook account or even attempting to make one, but it was THAT word that ran a shiver to his spine. The poor boy blushed. This was what he got from observing Kikumaru and Fuji senpai-tachi the past few days. "That is not what I mean."

Inui stared at Kaido, but no one could attest to this since his eyes were hardly visible through his specs. We could just imagine him tilting his head to his kohai and staying in that position while sun glinted on the reams of his spectacles and the wind tousled light objects, creating what could have been a very romantic atmosphere. "The probability that we are having miscommunication is 50%."

Kaido hissed. For the sake of beating Momoshiro, he must make his senpai listen to him for once. "We haven't done anything yet."

"What exactly do we need to do?"

"Senpai!" Mr. Bandana yelled out, his emotions getting the better of him.

Inui on the other hand remained calm. "Kaido, you don't need to shout at your senpai, right?"

"Senpai," the younger repeated through gritted teeth, muffling the tension inside, "What are we going to do with the plan?"

"Kaido, I have answered that already. _What exactly do we need to do_? The things I have written in the regulars' lists are quite manageable. How they have interpreted it was unfortunately out of my hand. Demo, I have to admit that I have overlooked that since it was a mere 0.00001% chance." He added his last statement as if he was only wondering out loud and not talking to Kaido. The latter then thought that the matter was over.

Kaido turned and was about to walk away when Inui spoke again. "Don't be pressured on how the other regulars ease their burden. We've been through a lot and even tougher diet and training plans."

"Demo, senpai…"

"Nani?"

Kaido Kaoru hesitated. He was a man of few words after all. He had hardly raised questions to his senpai even if Inui would make him the guinea pig for the latest Inui _ Remix version _. However, since pride was at stake—Kaido could imagine Momoshiro looking down on him. It was enough a motivation. In fact, he was fired up very much like Kawamura in burning mode—he decided to go for it and through his humblest voice, asked, "What about your list, senpai?"

"My list? Naze?"

"Senpai, there is a sixty percent possibility that your list is the easiest among ours."

"T-Tha…THa…" Inui Sadaharu found himself stuttering. He did not compute that. _Sasuga, Kaido. He has picked up my habits_. Summoning his old self, he adjusted his glasses, "Do you have any suggestion?"

"Give me your list senpai. Onegai," Kaido hastily added the last word knowing the possibility of the senior handing out his list was quite low.

Inui carefully considered this proposition and thought of the consequences and the advantages of handing out his plan. After much thought he concluded that nothing could go wrong out of his calculations, he pulled out his training plan out of his pocket and gave it to Kaido. In return, he received Kaido's copy.

"I will return this to you tomorrow senpai." Kaido said it as a farewell and really left before Inui could ask him about he would do. Inui could only trust the respect that he had painstakingly earned from the kohai.

….

Kaido Kaoru's residence:

"Kaoru aren't you going to have dinner?"

"I will, in a minute…"

Kaido reviewed the list he had edited. He let out a rare smirk.

**Inui Sadaharu****'s diet plan:**

_1. Run 50 laps before Tezuka buchou says so.—this way, he will not always think that you are after him._

_**2. Don't let Echizen drink even a gulp of Ponta—I don't know why you are asking us to do this but I will keep this.**_

_3. Wash your face regularly.—I heard Kikumaru senpai said you don't do so._

_4. Wear extra underpants.—senpai, onegai._

_**5. Stop making vegetable juices. –no one likes them. You can make an extra for Momoshiro though.**_

_**6. Stop collecting data.—it creeps me out.**_

_7. Don't touch your computer.—see number 6._

_8. Don't hide behind bushes.—see number 6. Besides senpai, your height makes your effort worthless._

_**9. **__**Don't wear your glasses. –how many times must they be broken before you decide to use contact lenses? Senpai, didn't you put that in your data?**_

_**10. Don't scream when you are using waterfall.—your spit gushes out.**_

Kaido evaluated and re-evaluated the things in the plan. He knew he was a little harsh on his senpai and some words he had added might hurt, demo, he reasoned out that he had just copied how his senpai had written his commentaries. Also, he believed that Inui Sadaharu would still be objective after this. This was for the team after all.

Kaido nodded to himself and went down to sup.

The next day came and the first thing that Kaido did was return his Inui's plan. Inui was silent for a couple of minutes. After rereading the list for at least three times, he cleared his throat and said, "Kaido, you are really a man of absolutes. You did not even mention any percentage."

He then handed out Kaido's diet. "Demo, I can also be that kind of man."

Kaido abruptly checked his and found out that his diet was rewritten on a fresh paper. Clearly, most that had been originally written were edited.

"Kaido, we are quite used to our training sessions. I agree with you that it's now the time to be serious."

Teme…Kaido mentally cursed. This is not serious, senpai!

**Kaido Kaoru's Diet:**

_**1. Hissing is forbidden.—muttering incoherent curses is also forbidden.**_

_**2. Drink Inui's vegetable juices-fiber is really important for endurance player.**_

_**3. Wash your bandana.—I cannot get an accurate data whether you change them twice a week or they change in color due to dirt.**_

_4. Refrain from eating Bento—yes it's complete. It's complete with all kinds of calorie too._

_5. Stop being discreet in loving animals—you look more awkward when you try to hide how you adore kittens._

_**6. Be friends with Momoshiro—to **__**what extent, it depends on you but at least stop bickering in front of the other team members.**_

_7. Get enough sleep—I have figured out that that's the reason you're wide-eyed always._

_8. Refrain from bullying your kohai—don't think you can get away with it just because you are a regular._

_9. Run 50 laps—it will give you better impression._

_**10.**__** Stop Echizen Ryoma from drinking Ponta.**_

How Kaido Kaoru wanted to grab what he had written for his senpai, apologize, and return to the original plans. However, since pride was at stake, better risk it.

Another good day shone its face upon Seishin Gakuen. The team members of the tennis club gathered themselves in the court. Some, particularly Kikumaru and Fuji who were passing each other water bottles, were already running laps. Kawamura and Momoshiro were doing some push-ups. Tezuka and Oishi huddled in one corner while Echizen Ryoma swung his racket with more force than usual. All of them stopped their activities though when Kaido and Inui came in.

Or were they Kaido and Inui?

"Ohayou gozaimasu!" Kaido greeted everyone cheerfully. He even smiled at Momoshiro who turned pale. The viper looked less like a snake and more of a puppy. He was extremely friendly to everyone.

"Wa-was that Mamushi?" Momoshiro asked, aghast at the turn out of events.

"There is a 34 percent chance that he is," Kawamura replied, forgetting the number of push-ups that he had done.

Inui on the other hand looked at the end of his wits. His face was squeaky clean. His hair, well kept. The big difference was the absence of his eye-glasses. It gave him a dull and life-less look. He felt really uncomfortable. What made it worse was the fact that his pants were quite heavy and thick.

"Inui, daijobou ka?" Oishi asked. It was his first time being worried of Inui's condition.

Inui, trying to keep himself composed stood straight. However, his hands started to fidget because of the lack of the familiar feeling of his notebook. He attached them to his sides. "Usu," he muttered.

"Eh?"Kikumaru, whose bandage was on his forehead, looked at Fuji. "Fuji, they got our idea."

"Daijobou," Fuji whispered picking on Eiji's plaster and sticking it on the latter's chin. "We'll think of other players to imitate."

Tezuka approached Kaido who was about to lie down on a bench. "Kaido, practice time is not yet over."

"I already ran, 50 laps this morning, buchou," Kaido smiled and covered his mouth to stifle a yawn. "Let me just sleep for thirty minutes." With that, he shifted to a more comfortable position and snored. Tezuka's glasses glinted in the sun.

"Inui, run 40 laps. Kaido is under your care. Things like this will not be permitted."

Inui nodded, still unconfident without his glasses, notebook, and vegetable juice. "Usu."

"Tezuka!" Oishi exclaimed. "Something is definitely wrong here. You have permitted all of these in the first place. Don't just blame Inui!"

The regulars looked at Oishi to Tezuka, back to Oishi. It was their first time hearing their fukubuchou scolding their buchou.

"Hai," Tezuka conceded to the surprise of the members. "Inui, 25 laps then."

"Didn't know Oishi's got that in him," Fuji chuckled.

"That's what you call Oishi Territory," Eiji contributed earning more laughter from the tensai. "Fuji, your eyes."

"Hai hai. Gomen," came the reply and the tensai opened his eyes once again.

"Demo, Oishi is so fired up today. He is not worrying but his demeanor is stronger," Kawamura observed.

"Sasuga, fukubuchou. But more importantly, why are Inui and Mamushi acting like the Hyotei regulars? I can't understand this, I ccc-" Momoshiro clamped his mouth shut before he could repeat his words.

"Mada mada dane, senpai-tachi," Echizen smirked as he turned and drank from his water bottle. With a satisfied gulp, he went back to practice, giving himself a tap on the shoulder. This whole diet thing turned out to be more interesting than he imagined. And he, being Echizen Ryoma, the Prince of Tennis, was enthusiastic in beating his senpai-tachi in their own game.

**A/N: Yay! I'm finally through this and FFN has already sorted its problem. Am I happy! ****Inui's and Kaido's plans are really different from the others since they are quite used to having weird diet plans (according to the anime that is). There is 99.98 percent chance that you know who the Hyotei regulars being imitated in this fic. **

**Pray, tell me. Is this fic going beyond your expectations? Hontou? Then review! Saa…minna…yudan sezou ni ikou.**


	5. Tezuka Oishi Echizen

**A/N: Mengo mengo, minna-san. This series is a little ambitious to begin with. That is why it's difficult to put an end to it. Argh…acknowledgements at the bottom. I hope everyone finds a good combination. Hehe.**

**Disclaimer: For the last time for this series...I don't own PoT or I wouldn't bother myself writing a fic…which makes me wonder…does Konomi Takeshi read PoT fanfictions?**

**THE HEN BETWEEN THE TWO PILLARS**

How were the tough Seishin Gakuen Junior High School Tennis Club members doing these days? Nobody could say for sure. There was no accurate report as to what they had been keeping them busy. Witnesses said that Ryuzaki-sensei had hushed up all of those who knew and was threatening to annihilate the rest who would attempt—even just a thought—the secret to the odd behavior of the regulars. This proved to be an excellent tactic. The tennis courts were devoid of spying paparazzi and amateur reporters. Even Inoue and Shiba could not enter the sacred school grounds. After their nth request with excuses of mere 'sincere' interest in the team, Ryuzaki-sensei was forced to remind them that it was about time that they highlight professional tennis players and not middle school students.

Still there were some people who vowed to unveil the surreptitious regimen of Seishin Gakuen. It was but natural response to keep on knowing what was being hidden—hai, human beings are natural gossipers.

Who were these people?

For one there was Atobe Keigo who could not sit still in his seat. He did not really care about what Seishin Gakuen was doing. He did not have any time for that. No matter what the other teams do, the power practice combined with the excellent facilities plus the hierarchy of Hyotei Regulars remained one of the best—no, THE best methods ever made in assembling a tennis club. What irked him was the fact that their rival team had to hide everything like it was a nuclear bomb hidden somewhere in Tokyo, ready to explode any minute. This secrecy had already attracted far too much attention than it had demanded and Atobe Keigo did not like that. He did not like sharing popularity. For him, a battle of esteem should be done in the open.

Next in line was the buchou of Rikkaidai. He was not as pissed as Atobe was, at least outwardly. He knew his place and as a buchou he respected every team's privacy. The only thing he was concerned about was 'experimenting' with practices. Being a person of poor health he was neither into experiments nor totally against it. He was somewhere in between which made everything difficult for him. In order to pick the right decisions for him and his team, he had to see the effects of try-outs on other people. Of course we know this is a poor excuse for just being plain curious.

There were still other inquisitive characters who were worth enough to mention but would not be. By large and sum, they all wanted to discover Seigaku's secret. As of the moment though, they could do nothing about it.

It was a different matter all together for the Seigaku students. They were lucky enough to know parts of the secret from the first day to the last. They were not willing to share the information though. Ryuzaki-sensei was enough a threat but other than that, their devotion to their tennis club extends to what happiness simple gossips could give them.

And here are the things that these lucky students knew:

**1****st**** day **

The regulars received their new diet menus from their Data Man. The copies were coldly received and nobody was noted to talk with Inui Sadaharu after the day's practice aside from Kaido Kaoru. Momoshiro and Kawamura were in deep thought as they went home. They exchanged some words about the copies but refrained from talking what their manuscripts contained. Kikumaru and Fuji walked the other way talking about their tons of homework. No matter what Inui had in mind, it could come later. Tezuka, Oishi and Echizen remained rooted in the tennis courts, burning the diet plans with their eyes. The fukubuchou wanted to express his disappointment in Tezuka's decision of allowing Inui yet again to pester them with a worse-than-a-gallon-of-Penal-Tea-menu. Tezuka on the other hand did not let his guard down and kept his stoic façade intact. Echizen was simply pissed off that Momoshiro Takeshi had left without him since the latter had promised the former a rare burger meal treat. Right, Echizen Ryoma could not be bothered by the weird tactics of their Data Man.

**2****nd**** day**

The regulars practiced as if nothing had happened. The only difference was they trained in pairs and each pair seemed to be intent in making their conversation as inaudible as possible. The atmosphere in the courts was heavy with suspicion and battle plans. The first years felt the growing tension and decided to give their best shot in the practices. Sakuno and her ever noisy friend Tomoka shut their mouths—for the latter this was definitely remarkable. Ryuzaki sensei did not seem bothered though. In fact she was caught laughing to herself most of the times, obviously enjoying the rare sight. Although Seigaku team usually gave its best in practices, nobody could determinedly say that the members were a hundred percent serious in giving their all.

Oishi Suuichiro expressed his views to his doubles partner, Kikumaru Eiji, that day. "Ne, Eiji, I don't think this could ever work."

"Nya? Oishi! Be positive, be positive. You have Tezuka beside you," came the response delivered in a happy-go-lucky tone. Eiji crossed his hands behind his head. "Besides, I doubt that you have more difficult diet menu than ours. Mine is pretty difficult as it is."

"Eh?"

"Iie, I am not going to tell you. I made a promise to Fuji."

Hai, just as Oishi thought. The menu had the tendency to destroy friendship more than to strengthen it.

**3****rd**** day**

"Who are you looking for, Echizen?" Horio asked an unusually irritated Echizen Ryoma. The practice was over and gradually, the courts became empty and the loud merry chatter and catcalls dissolved with the afternoon air.

The young prodigy glared at Horio as was his custom and gave a curt reply. "Momo-senpai."

"A-re? Didn't you know, he went ahead with Kawamura-senpai. Something about the Kawamura-sushi…Oi, Echizen!" Horio could only stare at the capped boy's retreating back.

Thinking that Momoshiro had only looked for an excuse not to treat him, Echizen ran after the other regulars who seemed to have one thing in mind: visit Kawamura Sushi as part of their ritual after a hard day's practice.

"I thought you won't be coming with us," Fuji furtively remarked. He casually opened a can of Ponta and took a swig. Ryoma pulled the tip of his cap lower to his eyes.

Kikumaru took the can from Fuji. He glomped Echizen, knocking the younger boy's cap askew, and drank deeply. Echizen gulped. "It's nice having you around, Ochibi. Let's go have some sushi!"

Ryoma pried himself away from the acrobatic's clutches and ran towards the front of the group, side by side with no other than Tezuka Kunimitsu. He did not know anything about the other regular's diet but everyone seemed resolute not to let him drink Ponta.

After some time, the team reached their goal. They were surprised. More than the awesome sushi and sashimi that they often ate, a working Momoshiro, complete with apron, welcomed them to the store. Echizen longed for the two Ponta cans well guarded by one burning Kawamura.

**4****th**** day **

Fuji and Kikumaru came up with their own strategy which ignited the passion of their fans and dampen the spirits of their teammates. Girls swarmed them wherever they went, even daring to peep in the boys' lavatory. Meanwhile, the Dream Pair's teammates tried their very best to avoid them, going as far as pretending not to know them. That rebuilt and strengthened friendship of the pair was too uncomfortably beautiful. To make the matters worse, the two seemed oblivious to their relationship's effect on their surroundings.

"Syuusuke," Eiji said, stretching his hand out. He reached for Fuji's collar and straightened it. Fuji smiled with his eyes open, gazing only at Eiji.

"Arigatou, Eiji-kun."

Those who had seen this flinched and turned away.

Surprises kept on coming that day and, as it seemed, they would keep on coming for quite some time until the entire diet thing was over. For example, Oishi Suuichiro seemed resolute and one teacher said Tezuka Kunimitsu smiled—behaviors least expected of them. Kawamura, in his burning mode, professed that his father would like to disinherit him and adopt Momoshiro.

However, Kaido and Inui were pretty normal. The regulars had a huge hunch that there was no difference in the latter pair's diet.

**5th day**

Kawamura seemed to be always excited whereas Momoshiro was always inspired. Fuji and Kikumaru were into extracurricular activities particularly the Student Council and Sports. Echizen seemed more irritable than usual. Tezuka buchou was said to have helped a girl do her homework and Oishi practiced by himself more often. Kaido was seen quite disgruntled. There was no reported difference on Inui Sadaharu's behavior though. By now all the regulars thought that Inui wasn't suffering half as much as they were.

"This is quite unfair don't you think," Oishi asked Tezuka in the changing room.

"Hn? Nani?"

"Since it's Inui who has made the plans, naturally the tides are in favor of him."

"Oishi," Tezuka said, looking at the vice captain straight in the eyes. He seemed to glow in the afternoon sun. "If you don't trust Inui that much, then at least trust his diet partner."

That made a lot of sense the next day.

**6****th**** morning **

There was a report that Momoshiro was dating Tachibana An, Kawamura Akutsu Jin's mom, and Fuji Kikumaru or vice versa. Inui was seen carrying a sleeping Kaido Kaoru.

"I thought Kabaji is in Hyotei," Echizen told one burning Kawamura-senpai as they were having a friendly match.

"Great-O! Then I can practice with him today! C'mon Baby! Have a taste of my Hadokkyou!"

"All this noise is getting into my head," Kikumaru complained to Fuji who was having fun at the turn out of events. The tensai only chuckled and pointed at Momoshiro who was running away from the newly awakened Kaido.

"Eiji, they got our idea!"

Amidst all these, Tezuka Kunimitsu, according to the reports, invited Oishi for a sleepover.

On the other hand, Echizen was notably less irritated. In fact he was back to his usual self-satisfied self. He was noted to be amused by the drastic changes in his sempai-tachi's behaviors. Also, he gave his 'best' in swinging his racket now with fewer complaints.

**6****th**** night:**

"I have invited you over to talk."

"You don't need to explain Tezuka. I don't question your decisions about the team."

Tezuka Kunimitsu nodded, not noticing or rather deciding not to notice that the response was half-heartedly spoken. He took off his glasses and wiped them with a clean cloth. Oishi remained unmoved. After a while of deafening silence, the fukubuchou took out Echizen's cap and asked, "What do you suppose I should do with Echizen's cap?"

"Oishi, I have no interest in caps."

"Demo—"

The captain was obviously trying his best not to look at him now. "It doesn't say in my list that I should have a different hairstyle."

Oishi Suuichiro did not see that coming. He honestly wanted to continue talking about the topic but he dared not oppose his respected buchou. Tezuka was already bent on his homework so Oishi decided to follow suit. Sleeping over in Kunimitsu's house did not mean pillow fights (Kikumaru's house), or DVD marathon (Fuji's), or sushi tasting (Kawamura's), or stalking (Inui's). It usually meant studying particularly formulas because if there was something Oishi could proudly say-but didn't—that he was better than Tezuka, it was Mathematics.

He brought out his book and began to stare at hit, trying to bore a hole with his mind.

_Taka-san and Momo kept the diet all right and among the regulars, their technique was the best. Fuji and Eiji. No matter where I look, they only wanted to irritate Inui and Tezuka for coming up with this plan. Speaking of Inui, he seems to be disheartened. Kaido might have meddled with the plans. What about Kaido?_

Oishi scratched his nape. He was becoming a mother hen again. He got the message of the diet: for them to have a different a new approach to their tennis styles. Still, he could not change overnight or make that six nights. _At least everyone has in some ways improved or changed. Except me. _

He looked beside him. The stoic façade of Tezuka Kunimitsu did not help him at all. The taller boy was transfixed on his English homework. It would be difficult for the vice captain to take him out of concentration because Tezuka did not let his guard down.

Oishi sighed. "Tezuka? Can I have a drink?"

"Hn? Hn."

With those grunts, Tezuka stood up, went to the dining room and left Oishi to his misery. When he came back, he had one steaming mug of coffee and one tall glass of iced tea. On instinct, Oishi reached for the coffee. Before he could even leave a finger print on the mug, he felt a smart pain of his wrist. Tezuka had just hit him.

"Tea."

It took Oishi several nanoseconds before his brain cells clicked together and form one message: _Tezuka thinks about the plan after all_. He smiled and got the tall glass of tea. As he sipped, the unsettling feeling returned.

Oishi uncomfortably slept not because he was sleeping in a different house but because of the burden of the results of the expectations of his teammates from his tandem with Echizen and Tezuka.

**7th day**

As usual, the tennis team went to the courts for their afternoon practice. Just as usual, the overly excited Ichinen came first. They had to prepare the courts for their senpai-tachi. Next came the sophomores who would like to get the remains of what respect the first years devoted to the regulars. Leading these brutes was Araii who had not given up in aspiring for a regular position. Kaido and Momoshiro, being regulars themselves did not care a bit. In fact, they were minding their own businesses and for once were not running after each other's throats. At least Momoshiro was. He was trying his best to avoid the exceedingly friendly and active Mamushi. Instead he focused on the first years. Kaido, seeing this as an opportunity to amend their previous rivalry decided to be friendly with the freshmen too. Momoshiro isolated himself in the club room.

Momoshiro whistled as he carried one basketful of yellow green tennis balls. He should not miss the chance to build up his muscles. Carrying the basket would not do anything tremendous to his already well-developed muscles but toning it a bit more would not hurt. He adjusted the handle of the basket so it would not bruise him when he met Kaido. He abruptly stopped in his tracks. Like a prey wary of its predator, he looked at his former adversary. His patience snapped.

"C'mon! If you want to hit me, hit me like a man and don't be a snake!."

"What are you saying Momoshiro-kun?" Kaido asked sweetly. For more emphasis, he flashed the irritated power player an un-Kaido-ic smile.

Momoshiro shivered from the tips of his toe nails to the ends of his spiked hair. "Sore! That smile, that 'Momoshiro-kun,' that's making you a real snake!"

A nerve appeared on Kaido's temple. He heard that word for the second time and he did not like it. From the bottom of his heart something felt wrong. "Momoshiro-kun, for the last time—"

"Shut up, MA-MU-SHI!"

That was the last straw and before Kaido could help it, he threw a straight punch at the power player. Momoshiro staggered. Instead of being downhearted or flabbergasted, he was ecstatic. "Welcome back, Kaido."

Kaido Kaoru stooped and gathered the tennis balls that fell from Momoshiro's basket. "Pfsssh," he sighed and proceeded to the courts without glancing at his rival. "What are you waiting for, baka? You need to return the favor!"

Momo-chan smirked and got his racket. "As you wish. One set match."

One by one, other players came and witnessed the ongoing game between Momoshiro and the revived Kaido. The third year students who were quite busy then came last. With them were the remaining Seigaku regulars. Kawamura Takashi was so hyped for the game. He even was not holding his racket yet. It was not safe to assume that it was he alone who was a bit out of character.

Inui lacked his usual self. He blindly, literally and figuratively, followed everyone. That was when the team concluded that Inui was not even a bit of Inui without his data. Seeing the game between Kaido and Momoshiro only intensified his awkwardness. Before anyone could stop him, he ran to the changing room and rummaged for his compilation of data in thick volumes. Upon seeing them, he fell into a flood of tears.

"I already told my sisters not to use my toothpaste but they still use it!"

"You must be a little more patient with your siblings Eiji."

"Mou, how can you say that to me when you only have two siblings?" Eiji's voice went higher, an indication of his impatience and childishness. Fuji could only sigh. He would always be the patient one in their tandem. He opened the door of the clubroom and found Inui, laughing and crying preposterously, clutching and kissing his volumes.

Eiji leaned over Fuji's shoulders to check what stopped the tensai from his tracks. The sight had a bigger impact on him and he couldn't do anything but let out a shriek that sounded very much like "NYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

This outburst earned several pairs of eyes and ears. In one millisecond, all the players gathered near the changing room and saw Eiji clutching his chest, gasping for air, Fuji patting Eiji's back, unconsciously though as his eyes were glassy and not seeing anything, and Inui protectively embracing his notebooks.

"30 laps around the court, all of you!"

Fuji snapped out of his reverie. Eiji grudgingly stood and prepared to run. Inui threw his notes back to the basket. Kaido and Momoshiro decided to postpone their match. Only Kawamura seemed excited in running laps. "Moeruze! Run 30 laps baby!"

Everyone turned to the one who gave the order. No, it was not Tezuka Kunimitsu as they had expected. Most of the team members rubbed their eyes. Sanada Genichiro in Seigaku? They thought Ryuzaki sensei had banned the other teams from coming?

At first glance it was indeed Sanada but it was not. Fuji noticed that the person was actually smaller. Inui thought the shoulders were not broad enough. The hair was considerably shorter as observed by Kaido who was expert at the field, having used bandana all his life. Momoshiro noted the difference in the voice and Kawamura said, "You're using Echizen's cap, baby!"

"Oishi?" asked Eiji who knew his doubles pair from different angles.

Oishi pulled the cap closer to his eyes as how Echizen Ryoma would do it. In a very serious tone, he said, "I will explain after you run laps."

The regulars exchanged looks first and decided to follow having nothing else to do.

"Inui-senpai, what did you write in Oishi-senpai's list? He seems not himself, not himself," Momoshiro slapped himself at his second utterance and clamped his mouth shut, waiting for the answer.

"I can't remember putting anything weird," Inui said as he donned his glasses. His answer however earned a loud hiss from his most trusted kohai, Kaido.

"Whatever it is, it must be pressuring Oishi a lot," Fuji added to the conversation. His eyes were closed in thought as he ran. He opened them in an instant when he felt Eiji tapped him at the shoulder.

Kikumaru nodded, bobbing up and down as he got his adrenaline rush. "It takes a lot to get Oishi that serious."

After thirty laps, they laid panting on the ground, patiently waiting for their fukubuchou to say what had been bothering him. Oishi had other plans though. He asked them do 50 push-ups, 20 sit-ups, and forced the regulars to practice swinging their rackets.

The team bore all these thinking that everything had an explanation and that Tezuka Kunimitsu, their trusted captain, would save them from the strict governance of their vice captain. The buchou however was nowhere in sight.

When Oishi was satisfied with the team's performance, he asked the regulars to meet him and disclosed his secret. "Tezuka is in the school clinic."

"NANI? NANDE?"

"He hurt his arm again. And he would not be able to supervise us in a while." With a rigid expression, he recollected what had happened to him before the practice.

_With his heart beating fast, Oishi scrammed to the school clinic. There was Tezuka Kunimitsu, lying in bed, his left hand sprawled near the edge supported by a well-used pillow._

_The janitor who had told him that the buchou was not in a good condition was right. Why didn't he notice the day before the Tezuka was enduring his shoulder? The more reason that Oishi's blood boiled every time he thought of Inui Sadaharu and the damned diet plans. However, he needed the Data Man more than ever now. He did not want to hear this rumor coming from just anybody after several hours. He wanted to hear news about his teammates in pronto and that meant having Inui back with full data and statistics._

"_Oishi," Tezuka muttered._

"_Tezuka, I am here. What happened to you?"_

"_Nothing serious. It's just the same arm," the usually stoic captain said as he sat up. _

_Oishi flared. This diet thing was too much. "I have always told you not to over do it. When are you going to listen?"_

_Tezuka did not meet Oishi's eyes for a moment as the setting sun shot orange rays on his white blanket through the blinds of the window. Instead of retorting, he merely smiled, looked up at Oishi and said, "Take care of our team."_

"Demo, why did you tell us just now?"asked Eiji in a very anxious voice.

"Let's go to the clinic, baby!" Kawamura was about to lead the rest with his racket still in his hand.

"NO!"

The team halted and looked at Oishi. He was dead serious. Had everything been a yakiniku contest they would have understood him better or could have laughed at him.

"If Tezuka were here, he would have stopped you as well. Minna, I know you're worrying about him. However, he wants us to focus on the practices. That is the reason he has consented to this diet plans in the first place."

Inui fixed his glasses while the rest of the team threw dark glances at him.

"Let us show Tezuka that being a pillar of Seigaku is not a responsibility of only chosen people. We can choose to be pillars of Seigaku."

"Fukubuchou!" Momoshiro gasped and covered his eyes as he tried his best to conceal how touched he was at those words.

"Hai, Oishi-senpai," Kaido smiled, not the creepy friendly smile he learned from following the diet but a genuine one.

"Oishi! That's a touching thing to say, nya!" Eiji said as he glomped his doubles partner. Then he remembered. He turned back to Fuji and bowed several times. "Oops! Mengo mengo, Fuji! I couldn't stop saying 'nya', nya! You know I did try my best the entire week and I even asked my sisters to report to you whenever I was saying it but I couldn't stop it hoi!"

"Saa, Eiji, daijobou," replied Fuji. "Demo, you have to buy me eye drops. I am afraid my eyes got all bloodshot because I keep them open more often than I am used to."

"Does that mean you both are going to drop your yaoi act?" Inui asked. "According to my data, 60% of the girls' population would be disappointed."

"Nah. We're getting tired of it, nya. Fuji and I couldn't eat peacefully at lunch."

"However, if you would like us to entertain you, Inui, it would be good once in a while," said Fuji, playfully leaning closer to Eiji while making sure that the taller bespectacled guy was looking. Eiji, getting the hint, anchored an arm around the tensai's neck. Inui blushed to the roots of his hair and looked away, muttering about the data he wasn't able to get in the past few days.

"Yosha! Everyone's back to normal baby! Let's go visit Tezuka now!"

"Taka-san, why are you still pumped up?" Eiji asked the power player.

Momoshiro answered, "The result of the diet. It seems he will be burning for quite some time."

"Let's just hope that the nurse will let him in the clinic."

"Excuse me," a new recruit of the basketball team ran towards the group of the regulars. "Your captain is Tezuka Kunimitsu, right? The nurse said, he is awake now."

This announcement made a huge difference to Oishi's demeanor. It brought half of his old self back and he permitted himself to smile at the herald bringer. "Arigatou," he deeply bowed at the basket ball player. Turning to his teammates with brighter eyes, he exclaimed. "Saa, minna. Yudan sezou ni ikou!

That was what the team was waiting for. "Hai."

….

In the clinic, Tezuka Kunimitsu, propped against the fluffy pillows of the clinic, welcomed his team members with a smile. This had a bigger and creepier effect than a friendly Kaido. There was something in the captain's glowing body whilst he was sick that made the entire thing absurd. What was more was the team members were quite used to his stoic appearance that the new Tezuka seemed a threat to them. They were on their toes, waiting for some bad news, if there were.

"Have you run 50 laps this afternoon?" Tezuka gently asked, still with his smile on, as if this regimen was the most natural thing in the world.

"Hai, buchou." Even the third year regulars could not help themselves from calling him in a respectful way.

"What about the training? Did you practice well?"

"Hai, Tezuka. We practiced event though you were not there," Oishi returned, a sweat dripping from his temple but he did not dare move from his position. Good thing he still had Echizen's cap on and it soaked most of the moisture going out of his pores.

"OISHI—"Kawamura started off with a loud voice but toned down immediately after earning a hiss from Kaido, "—Oishi made sure we practice well, baby!"

The members thought it was not only their captain who was suffering from the last day of the training menu. Tezuka thought it was a good sign though. "Is that so? Arigatou Oishi."

He spoke Oishi's name with much passion that gave an effect to the members that of cold water splashed on their spine. All of them, saved Oishi and Tezuka, shivered.

"Somehow, this seems to be the continuation of our yaoi act," Eiji said exasperatedly at Fuji. The latter just smirked and answered, "Well, it seems to me it's worse."

"Not only that. There is a 69.99 percent possibility that they have assimilated all of the techniques to come up with this one."

"EH?"

"They could have exchanged tasks—I believe so since I made the menus that way—like what Momoshiro and Kawamura did."

Momoshiro and Kawamura exchanged confused looks and merely shrugged. Even the Burning Mode could not help decipher Inui's riddles.

"It is also 33% possible that they thought it's quite interesting to cosplay a bit, taken from Kaido's example," Inui said, jotting some notes on his already extremely used notebook.

Kaido naturally retorted, "Don't excuse yourself from this, senpai! Pshhh!"

Eiji and Fuji sniggered.

"And, there is 48% that Tezuka and Oishi's behavior is influenced by the people closest to them like Fuji and Eiji," continued Inui, undaunted by Kaido's remark.

Eiji stopped sniggering and glared at Inui. "Nyarou, Inui…you're getting too far."

"If you want," Fuji continued, his eyes open. He was not glaring though unlike Eiji. In fact, the tensai was smiling. "We can take this issue to the _courts_, Inui."

"Fuji-senpai can give Amane of Rokkaku a run for his money on puns," whispered Momoshiro to Kaido who nodded.

"Fighting inside the clinic is prohibited. Additional thirty laps for today," Oishi commanded.

"Maji?" Eiji whined.

"D—demo, buchou! Say something!" Momo pleaded to the buchou who gave him his disarming smile.

"That is for your own good, Momoshiro-kun."

Everyone was about to follow when Fuji suddenly said, "Taka-san, get their bags and look for the diet plans."

Kawamura was at first surprised about this peculiar order. He immediately followed suit. Tezuka and Oishi could only stare as the number one power player in their team rummaged their bags. No one crosses Kawamura Takashi in his burning mode.

"But of course!" Inui said, picking up Fuji's line of thought, and helped searching for the diet plans. "Here is Oishi's!."

Eiji received it and began reading aloud:

**Oishi Suuichiro's Menu**

_1. Run thirty laps per break. _(Eiji: Well, that goes for all of us I suppose.)

_**2. Keep Echizen away from Ponta vending machines. **_(Momoshiro: I did not think all of us have to.)

_**3. Lessen intake of chocolates and coffee by 60% **_(Fuji: That's logical.)

_**4. Increase intake of tea by 72.345% **_(Kaido: That is more logical.)

_**5. Reduce reading of horror and self help books by 23% **_(Kawamura: That's right baby!)

_6. Use chamomile and lavender as room scent for one week. _(Eiji: A-re? Nande?)

_7. Change your pets from fishes to turtles _(Kaido: *blushing* Is that why you asked me to keep your gold fish for two days, Oishi senpai?)

_**8. Take deep breaths for 10 counts before stopping a fight**__._ (TEAM: Right.)

_9. Come up with other techniques than moon volley—sunshine volleys?_(TEAM: *sniggering*)

_10. Stay away from Yakiniku. _(Oishi: *lifting a brow*)

"Nya, Inui! This sounds horrible," the acrobatic exclaimed after reading. "Sunshine volleys?"

"I found it baby!" Taka-san exclaimed after awhile, holding up a piece of paper neatly folded into two. He gave it to Momo who was nearest to him and the kohai followed Kikumaru's example and read:

**Tezuka Kunimitsu's Diet Menu:**

_1. Run as many laps as you want preferably more than the laps you assign your team members. (_TEAM: No wonder buchou looks so fragile today. INUI!

Inui: *getting defensive all of a sudden * It's quite logical…if he has to ask us to run 100 laps every now and then, then he should too.)

_**2. Confiscate Echizen's Ponta. **_(Fuji: Inui, do you hate Ponta or Echizen?)

_**3. Smile more often.20 % more at the least. **_(Eiji: Now that's a must!)

_**4. Lessen being strict by 34.1%—at least in speech**__. _(Kaido: Why though?)

_5. Be more soft spoken. See number four. _(Momoshiro: Only once in a while is ok.)

_**6. Drink more chocolates and eat more sweets. 51% **_(Eiji: *sniffing* Tezuka's diet doesn't seem so bad.)

_7. Drink Inui's hyper Remix version two. _(Inui: Kaido was able to save him for two days.)

_**8. Watch romantic and horror movies. 22 % **_ (Kawamura: Raw Mance. Show some reaction, Baby!)

_**9. Don't say yudan sezou ni ikou and other versions.**_ (TEAM: *nodding solemnly*)

_10. Practice s mashes._ (TEAM: Eh?)

"The last one was pretty lousy, nya," muttered Eiji, picking on his band-aid.

"Iie, I am afraid I have to disagree with you Eiji," Fuji remarked. "It's unsettling to have a drop shot as an ultimate technique, I guess."

"You sound like Atobe," Eiji chuckled as Fuji threw a death glare at him. A plane flew by and its noise filled the silence that reigned in the room for a moment.

"It turned out that we have been affected by Inui's diet, one way or the other," Oishi voiced out his realization.

"Hai hai. Inui I promise to take your diet seriously now, nya."

"Eiji-senpai, I think you won't be able to do that, you won't be able to."

"Momo!"

"There is a 74 percent chance that Hyotei will copy this idea. Knowing their captain, he will not stop until he settles everything with our buchou," Inui said, not entirely to himself, as he took a seat in the form of another clinic bed.

"What about the other teams, senpai?" asked Kaido who was still in awe of Inui's data tennis despite the senior's recently concluded stupidity.

"Rikkaidai will have 50 % chance. I doubt that Yukimura can follow a different diet aside from the one recommended by the hospital. Sanada will be too hard to persuade. Jackal and Marui will gorge themselves with food first. Niou will be out of sight or probably start a mutiny. Yagyuu and Renji will think everything is childish and Akaya will be left alone to bear it."

"Which means everything depends on Yukimura?" Tezuka asked innocently. Everyone looked at him deciding whether they preferred the old Seigaku buchou or the new one. They decided the old one. Inui gave Kawamura his drinking bottle and the latter opened it. It was filled with pure water. It was not surprising though. The data man was not able to concoct any due to Kaido's revision of his menu.

Still it was useful.

With the last effects of the burning mode, Kawamura held the water bottle, shouted "You are BAHNING BABY!" and triumphantly splashed cold water straight to their captain's face.

All is well that ends well.

Or so—

"A-re, where's Echizen?" Eiji asked after their 99th lap.

When Tezuka Kunimitsu had resurrected from his surreal second personality, he had immediately ordered them to run a hundred laps as a punishment for wetting the clinic's bed. The team had taken this as a good sign. They would go all the way with the real Tezuka Kunimitsu than any other captain whether it was the captain of one of the toughest teams in Tokyo.

"Speaking of which," Taka-san panted. His last exploit—that was splashing water on his captain had exhausted his energy and his Burning Mode. It was possible that he could not use it for a time. "Hah…he is the only one who doesn't seem so affected by everything!"

"Fshhh…going for the cool act."

"Hm, coming from the Mamushi, this must be something."

"What did you say, baka?"

"Nani?"

"Saa, why don't we check on him?" said Fuji whose voice incredibly drowned the bantering of the two junior students. Looking over his shoulder, he added, "Tezuka!"

"Yudan sezou ni ikou."

Instead of stopping for a break after their one hundredth lap, they directly sprinted to the possible locations where Echizen could go. Stealthily, they looked for signs of the little prodigy. It was not a complicated task though. After five minutes or so, they found him enjoying a cool drink from his water container.

"Echizen seems to be 80 % following the diet until now," Inui said, proud of himself.

"I didn't know he has that obedience, I didn't know," whispered Momoshiro, sitting beside the Data Man. The rest could only nod as they watched the little boy gulp the last contents of his bottle.

What they saw after made them change their minds. Echizen Ryoma pulled out some coins from his pocket, pushed it through the coin hole of the vending machine and pushed the Ponta button. He then opened his water bottle, drain all that was left inside and filled it up with the contents of the Ponta can.

"Nyarou…" muttered Eiji and Fuji, thinking of the time they had spent devising ways on how they could efficiently and effectively improve their weaknesses, support each other, and make Inui suffer. Should they blame themselves for being 'honest' boys?

"Teme!" cursed Kaido and Momoshiro, stricken being outsmarted by a younger member. The Viper could not forget the day he had acted friendly to his childhood rival. The said rival could still remember the moments he had to scrub the restaurant's floors every night, endure Akutsu Jin's remark, bore Tachibana An's teasing and suffer from Kaido's uncharacteristic friendliness.

Kawamura and Oishi, who were by far the most kind hearted members of the team, could only gasp as the youngest member of the regulars relish his 'triumph.' They could not believe they had been outwitted. Fire started to flicker in Kawamura's eyes. The Mother Hen thought that being stoic like Sanada would not hurt once in a while.

It was a different story for Tezuka who was trying to hide his embarrassment for the things he had said earlier. He flashed his glasses toward Inui's direction trying to indicate the punishment the Data Man was going to have after they were done with Echizen. Inui cowered behind the bush. Tezuka returned to the matter at hand. "Ikuze, minna!"

The prince of tennis became aware of their presence and he began backing up against the vending machine which trembled reflecting the turmoil inside Echizen masked by his self-assured facial expression. His façade would not hold much longer though. As the towering shadows of his senpai-tachi engulfed him, he let out an ear splitting yelp.

…..

The sun had already set about an hour ago yet the regular members of the Seigaku Tennis Club remained in the gym.

"YYYAAAAAADDDDDDDDDAAAAAAA!" a red Echizen with bloodshot eyes shouted as he struggled with the ropes binding him. "I don't want to follow it! Inui senpai could have just told us that he wanted a team built with Hyotei and Rikkaidai members it would have been easier! I don't want to drink milk anymore! !"

"Shut up Echizen! You are too noisy!"

"Don't be such a brat! PSHHH!"

Momoshiro and Kaido were in a rare agreement to keep Echizen's voice down as possible. The other members were still thinking of how to punish the devious youngest.

"INUI!" Eiji yelled on top of Echizen's voice. He did not seem to find 'ochibi' quite cute that day. He even covered his ears to emphasize his irritation. "What have you done to ochibi?"

"That's the problem. I can't seem to find anything brutal here."

"That has been your excuse for all of our lists," Tezuka, for the very first time conveyed his thoughts which was passed and seconded by the rest of the members.

"Hand over the list," said Oishi, not too gently.

Inui grudgingly gave the list to Oishi and the vice captain shared it to the others.

"You _can't seem to find anything brutal here, _you say," Fuji said and pointed at one part of the list. "This is pretty sadistic to me."

Who said that Fuji Syuusuke was the sadist in Seigaku?

In a matter of seconds, eight heads joined together and read Echizen's menu while the latter kept on bawling for his dear Ponta. From time to time in between shouting "yadda" and "I'll dye you red," he sputtered something about Karupin.

**Echizen Ryoma's Diet:**

_**1. Drink Milk—don't drink Ponta (Eiji: *whispering* Fuji you were not alone on this one.)**_

_**2. Run 60 laps **_

_**3. Intake real fruits. See number one. **_

_**4. Swing racket—you need this to build your muscles. I am not satisfied that you can execute a good smash without a good percentage of flesh. **_(Tezuka: I quite agree.)

_**5. Reduce burger intake—avoid eating out with Momoshiro for one week. **_(Momoshiro: Ah… That's why he has been avoiding me. We've been avoiding each other.)

_6. Eat more Japanese food or home cooked meals._

_**7. Don't say Mada mada dane or other versions—it's not a good habit to say this to your senpai**_

_**8. Be more courteous to your senpai. **_(Kaido: That should be SOP.)

_**9. Don't use cap for one week. **_(Kawamura: A-re? Mou. That's why Oishi's using it.)

_**10. Don't play with your cat. **_(Fuji: See, it's sadistic.)

The list was notably deprived of percentages and everything except one was highlighted. The team looked at the obviously pissed Echizen Ryoma again. It was no wonder.

…

"Moshi-moshi? Moshi moshi…Yukimura, shall I put an end to our call?"

"Gomen. Sanada and Niou have just returned from their tasks."

"Tasks?"

Yukimura glanced behind him. Rikkaidai Tennis Team huddled closer to the newcomers. Niou, twirling a long white wig with his left hand, seemed to enjoy the limelight. He showed Marui and Akaya the janitor's uniform that he had been wearing beneath his jersey. He whispered something to the two, something related to Sanada seeing his replica in Seigaku in the form of Oishi Suuihiro. The red head and seaweed haired boys sniggered. Yagyuu only fixed his glasses, seemingly distraught that Niou had found a new hobby partner.

Sanada kept being deaf to Renji's deploring remarks, mute to Jackal's solicitous questions, and blind to the naked incredulity of his team members to his basketball shirt. He kept his back to Yukimura.

The Rikkaidai captain smiled, the kind that could pass through stone hearts, brick walls, and telephone wires. "Atobe, it is a pity that you don't have cosplayers in your team."

"I don't need cosplayers, Seiichi. I have a more glamorous way of gathering information," came the arrogant yet elegant voice of Atobe Keigo from the other end of the line. "It's my turn to say 'gomen' now." As the Hyotei buchou said that, Yukimura could hear the distinct sound of an airplane landing. Atobe continued after the noise, "Kabaji has some news for me. Poor guy, he has aerophobia. Get back to the courts soon, Yukimura."

"Hai. Arigatou."

The call ended.

**More A/N: One thing I didn't warn anybody about save a few: I am crappy with endings. Hehe. And hai, the characters, particularly Echizen, are a bit OOC. That is intended.**

**Let me use this small space to thank the lovely people who have been with me from the start to the end of this fic particularly those who have reviewed and put this to their favorite list. Among them are:**

**FreyjaCartagena**** – after a month, finally, I am done.**

**Moonhera- I have finished mine, I am waiting for yours…hehe.**

**Demoncat13- thanks for being an awesome reviewer.**

**Faoiltierna- are you by any chance related to B't X's Fao(Fou) La Feney? Hehe. I don't know if this is what you have expected but I will welcome any reaction from you.**

**Aan—thanks for reviewing even though you are unsigned.**

**Arctic Symmetry—arigatou for loving my fics.**

**Fadey-sankyu too. I hope this has not been a let down.**

**Yume229—sankyu for loving this fic. I love dream pair too.**

**Senshi moon—I hope the last installment still has made you laugh. Hehe.**

**Shanu—after one month I have finally done it. Hehe. Sorry for making you wait.**

**I promise to give better acknowledgement to the 'Omake' to the rest who have not been mentioned. One big virtual hug for all of you. Arigatou gozaimasu. **

**Not for the last time: Saa, minna, yudan sezou ni ikou. **


	6. omake

**A/N: This was originally drafted as a mere ending. Now, after posting this, I think I am committing suicide.**

**Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the diet. Don't sue me.**

* * *

**OMAKE**

"Tezuka, really, I can't take it anymore."

Seigaku no Buchou turned a deaf ear.

"O-oishi?"

The normally soft-hearted mother hen looked away, finding more interesting things, say a cob web, in the club room.

"Fuji, Eiji?"

The dream pair sat back to back, seemingly exhausted from a hard day's work. The truth is they did not like to heed _his_ request, vividly remembering that the other person had not listened to their protests. It was high time for _him_ to learn not to mess with them.

"Momoshiro…"

Momoshiro tired to keep a stern face. Being a naturally simple-minded, he bowed his head and put his hands together muttering "Gomen nasai senpai, gomen gomen!"

It was hopeless. _He_ had gulped some of _it_ awhile ago and it was pure Seigaku bile turned into liquid. It tasted like cooled oil mixed with shredded cabbages and slimed through his throat like mud.

"Drink all of it COME ON!" Kawamura burned. He was holding a glass half-filled with bog-colored liquid.

Nothing and nobody could save _him_ now. _He_ could only look at his ever trusted kohai. A sweat dropped from his brow to his already grimy glasses. Nothing from his calculations indicated that the regulars would act this way although he had noted that they would act out of their character once pushed to the extreme. However, Kaido was different. The Bandana boy would always be loyal.

Knowing that his helpless senpai was looking at him, Kaido hissed and faked a cough. He refused to meet Momoshiro's teasing eyes, nor Tezuka's threatening ones. Instead he babbled, "You can do it senpai."

Inui Sadaharu could only gasp at this reaction and surrendered to his fate. He could not escape his teammates. Tezuka was at the door and there was 34 % possibility that the captain would knock him down. Inui would be half crazy if he would jump through the windows. The possibility that Ryuzaki sensei would ban him from the regular list was too high—the chance that she would kill him first was higher. Lastly, he did not want to add more stain to his already tainted reputation now that he was about to graduate. He took the glass with what looked friendlier –than-poison liquid from Kawamura and drank deeply.

The effect was instant.

Inui writhed, his hands clasped his neck. Bubbles issued from his mouth but the regulars remained undaunted. His reactions were similar to the symptoms of Penal Tea's effect. In short it was normal.

"Fuji did you carefully follow the recipe?" Oishi asked, a little bit bothered by the twitching Inui.

"Yes, I think I did."

"Nothing more nothing less?" inquired Tezuka, knowing the tensai's vindictive side.

"Mou, that's mean, Tezuka," Fuji complained, leafing through the book he had taken the recipe from. "It took me ages to get this thing right. Eiji and I have tried this on ourselves as well."

"Hai hai. I bear witness hoi. I didn't expect _it_ would have this effect on Inui though, nya. Anytime now, he will transform into Horio."

"Eh? Horio?" gibbered Momoshiro, baffled by this revelation. However, it made sense since he saw Kikumaru sneaking behind the ichinen and pulling strands of hair from him.

Tezuka could not keep calm. If the tensai had not tampered with the recipe taken from one fiction book, then there could never be any problem. Inui's reactions said something otherwise.

At the far corner of the room, Echizen, watching his senpai-tachi through the corners of his eyes, was savoring his first Ponta after receiving his punishment for cheating. He had just had his retribution —200 laps from buchou, and Momoshiro had generously bought him two cans of Ponta to pacify his anger.

"Mada mada dane," he triumphantly remarked.

Behind him was one empty Ponta can.

Echizen thought he could leaf through Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets about the effects of adding Ponta in Polyjuice potion. However, it would come later. He was still busy enjoying the scene before him.

* * *

In the other side of the town…

"Seigaku is following a new diet plan? Hm…ore-sama will think about this…"

Atobe Keigo had just finished a call with his informant. The advantage and disadvantage of being rich: having your way in getting bits and pieces of information that may or may not be helpful. However, Atobe was not even thinking about that now. All he cared about was how Hyotei Gakuen (which could be translated as Atobe Keigo) could beat Seigaku (which could be defined as Tezuka Kunimitsu) in this new interesting game. The Hyotei King thought everything was worth his time.

Seeing that smirk painted on their captain's face, the main regulars were painfully aware of what was to come. Oshitari Yuushi sighed in resignation. He could always argue against the King's childish whims but one thing remained in the end. Atobe Keigo would have his way. Mukahi Gakuto thought it was a chance to beat Kikumaru Eiji. Shishido and Chotarou saw it as a chance to show that their partnership did not only extend in the tennis courts but also in the dining table. Jirou thought it would be good to try different food so he could suggest some to his idol, Marui Bunta of Rikkaidai. As for the Gekokujou man, he agreed to everything as long as it would take him to a higher place. Kabaji, well, he was and would always be Kabaji. This meant absolute obedience to his master.

One evidence had just been served: he had gathered pieces of information in the private jet. He had been spying on Seigaku from above. He had some apparatus that helped him capture snippets of conversation. The devices had been originally designed to detect plots against Hyotei so they only had activated every time a Seigaku member had said words related to Hyotei like Atobe, rich, famous, magnificent, elegant…

He got those conversations all right. With difficulty. As the other regulars congratulated him for a job well done, Kabaji suddenly took a deep breath, emitted a low rumbling yet monotonous "AAAAAHHHHH," similar to that of a huge robot about to explode, and retched. He did not like heights.

Mukahi, for once, was at a loss of words and just wiped a flick of vomit that had reached his face and offered a towel to his towering teammate.

Unperturbed, Atobe Keigo surveyed his team. He would deal with Kabaji's height sickness later. There were more pressing matters. He snapped his fingers, "Ore-sama no bigi ni…yoi na."

Thus began the one-hell-week-of-torture (as how Oshitari Yuushi would put it) or one-week-of-glamorous-diet (words of Atobe Keigo) for Hyotei Gakuen Tennis Club.

* * *

**A/N: I simply could not successfully end the fic without punishing Inui. Yep. It is confirmed. I am committing suicide. Hehe. I am not promising anything. Merely opening a possibility. **

**To Kim Ja Bi, thanks for inspiring me to write this. It all started with your GM Diet, I didn't forget that.**

**To Yume Takamiya, a little bit of Kabaji, as promised.**

**To Faoiltierna araigatou gozaimasu. I hope to hear from you in my other fics. haha.**

**To BlueBirdofParadise here is the omake and thanks for putting this in your faves.**

**To MoonHera, I 'll be on stand by for you. Thanks for the support.**

**To demoncat13, yup Inui is a demon. care to share with him your pen name. just a joke. hehe**

**To Fadey, you got that right. it's akaya although i doubt people would realize it. hehe you must be an Otaku. hehe**

**To seishin moon, I am still thankful, no matter what. hug.**

**To Arctic Symmetry, Erigay, LightAngelHiroko, QueenofHearts27, sunashiro9, tumuchtuhandle, XKawaii-Neko-ChanX, XxDarkEyesxX, YamatoNadeshiko, and yume229, thanks for adding my fic to your faves.**

**As of now I can only thank these people. For those who will still add this (i know you will, hehe) or review, i'll be giving you private messages. Haha. or include you guys in the next fic.**

**Good Combination has officially ended...for now. haha. Zanen Munen Mata Raishuu**


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